With the NFL Draft less than one week away, it is interesting to read articles from other parts of the country to see the lens through which the Patriots are viewed.
A sampling:
In St. Louis, columnist Bryan Burwell writes on the Rams' struggles in the draft for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Since 2000, he compares the drafts of the Rams and Patriots. "The Patriots have drafted 70 players and retained 23 draft picks on their current roster. However, there is a dramatic difference in the success rate of the Rams' draft picks and the Patriots'. New England produced 13 starters and three Pro Bowl players (Tom Brady, Richard Seymour, plus recently departed free agent Asante Samuel)."
In Colorado, former major-league baseball pitcher Mark Knudson writes on the Broncos' reuilding efforts in the Coloradoan, and also uses the Patriots as a point of comparison. "The New England Patriots didn't light the world on fire in the late 1990s, but they spent the time building a team that would become a mini-dynasty for the next decade."
Gary Myers of the New York Daily News writes on how having a top-10 pick has become counter-productive for teams in need of the most help. Within the piece, the Patriots are mentioned. "Patriots coach Bill Belichick is a master. Belichick, who majored in economics at Wesleyan, was one of the first in the salary-cap era to understand the cost effectiveness of trading down. He likes to accumulate additional picks at lower salaries, filling more needs."
The view in Philadelphia is a bit more critical, as the Philadelphia Inquirer points out the differences in the 2007 Patriots draft class and the 2007 Giants draft class. "Only two of the Patriots' nine draft picks were on the roster at the end of the season, and one has to wonder whether they will pay for that in the not-too-distant future," writer Bob Brookover says.
Bob Brookover forgot that Welker and Moss were picked up for 2nd and 4th round picks. Brady is really paying for that. LOL
I really do have to agree with Bob Brookover in regards to the Patriots 2007 class. It was really unsuccessful, Belichick has admitted this indirectly by mention that when in a draft you hope at least half your drafted players become starters by year 3. He also expressed his disappointment in seeing free agents go since much of the time coaches spend developing players turns out to be developing for other teams. So with that in mind the Patriots have the luxury of having a top 10 pick, a late 2nd round pick, and two 3rd round picks this year which, if they make the right moves they will be able to compensate for the failed draft last year.
The problem with the Inky's analysis is that the 2007 draft class included Wes Welker and Randy Moss. Now you can factor in the economics -- both cost more than a second-, fourth- and fifth-round picks would have -- and the age (moreso in Moss' case), but I think most people would take the production of those two with those three picks.
It's also not like the Pats are an old team, which is one of the other possible downsides of not keeping a lot of draft picks. They've done a good job renewing most of their roster, keeping it young (LB and now arguably CB being the exceptions).
Look Ma no holes.....
It's not as if there are a lot of holes for young draft choices to fill on a team that is totally stacked.
If the Patriots 2007 draft is analyzed strictly on the quality of the players they
actually drafted, the draft was a dud. It was a draft reminiscent of Bobby
Grier's drafts. Except for Meriweather and Brown, none of the other seven
draftees was listed as even a marginal draft prospect by the draft gurus.
While teams like the Giants and Colts did the best they could during a poor
draft year, the Patriots dropped the ball.
They only had one first day pick, a 4th rounder, a 5th rounder, and a bunch of picks in the 200s. How can you say it was unsuccessful? Also, don't forget that they grabbed Gutierrez, which was practically a draft pick.
Most of those guys are still in the league, by the way. They just weren't good enough to remain on the team. Kareem Brown comes to mind as someone who made the initial cut and was waived when they had to bring someone off PUP. Their intention was probably to add him to the PS.
If any draft should be criticized, it should be the '04 draft. They had more picks, but only were successful with their first rounders.
Last year's draft sucked, they couldn't draft people that would make the team. It will be good to find out how many of the players that were drafted last year are still in the NFL. For example Kareem Brown (they shouldn't have cut him) is on the Jets. the others are K. Brown -- Jets, Oldenburg --- Jets, Rodgers - Cowboys, Hillard --Jets, Elgin---Colts
So you could critize that made picks in positions they were deep (OL) but these guys shouldn't be considered busts are they made other teams or their practice squad.
Why do the Colts and Jets have scouting department? Just pick pats draft cuts.
I think your all right. I was annoyed at how the "experts" viewed last years Pats draft. The Pats didn't have many real openings to fill and the draft was considered weak. All the other reasons mentioned here apply too. I also think it was too bad they cut K. Brown, and I bet the Pats wished they could have taken Micheal Griffin in the first round.
What Brookover failed to account for are trades ( Pats traded #2 for Welker, #4 for Moss and #3 for Oakland's 08 3rd) and the quality of a team drafting. Of course a player drafted by Miami or Atlanta has a better chance to make that team with less depth and lesser players. In addition, the Pats had only two picks in the first 4 rounds (Meriweather and Kareem Brown). Did anybody expect Brown to crack the Pats D-line as a rookie?
5 of the Pats picks are still in the league with other teams, Dallas,Jets and 3 on the Colts which isn't bad considering that they were all 5th,6th or 7th rounders...It's not that the Pats drafted badly, it's that it was a weak draft and they chose to trade out of it as much as possible for proven players and future picks.
Brookover is correct. When you trade draft pick for veterans your are setting yourself up for a potential problem down the road. For example production from Moss will start falling off just when production from a solid rookie might begin to take hold. Obviously, the Moss trade is a great trade for the Patriots today. His point is that in 2 or 3 years the Pats as a whole will begin to slide if they dont bring in enough younger players to develop.
My biggest Issue with the Pats is not the draft but their habit of acquiring too many aging veterans as role players. I do not agree with the practice of acquiring or holding onto a veteran who will never contribute to the offense or defense just to play special teams. Those slots should go to a younger player who may actually develop into a starter in the future.
he needs to double check his stats, besides Brady, Seymour, and Samuel; Mankins, Light, and Koppen are all pro-bowl players. Also the 13 starters looks rather low.
Burwell can't count. He is as dumb as the people drafting for the Rams. Last I checked, Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Dan Kopan and Vince Wilfork also went to the pro bowl.
People the 07 draft sucked no matter how you look at. 06 was ok. That is hurting the Patriots and clearly the Giants draft picks won them the Super Bowl.
Not everything is perfect about the Pats.
Thank god for Tom Brady!!!!!!
2007 Draft:
1st round- Merriweather- will start this year
1st round- traded to SF #7 pick this year
2nd round- traded for Welker
3rd round traded to Oakland for this years 3rd round
4th round- traded for Moss
So let's see where do we stand?
Future starter and all-stud
7th pick this year
2 of top 3 receivers in league
Extra 3rd round pick in a draft loaded with CB's
Dud? How stupid. That there's a Master Draft
How many draft picks are supposed to make the 45-man roster of a 16-0 team?
Anybody who thinks the Moss trade had any downside in terms of future performance really needs to rethink his priorities.
Do the Pats bring in too many "aging veterans"? Seems to me the entire DL is populated with 1st round picks, and a good part of the OL is also from the early rounds.
#14 lays it all out very nicely. In what was a poor draft year, the Patriots traded out for future picks and for veteran players. I call this a very smart thing to do.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
ask reiss
Questions will be considered for Mike's mailbagbrowse this blog
by categoryINside Boston.com